Image processing apparatus and computer program product

ABSTRACT

An image processing unit executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image. An area extracting unit compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area. A checking-image display unit displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present document incorporates by reference the entire contents ofJapanese priority documents, 2005-267056 filed in Japan on Sep. 14, 2005and 2006-196204 filed in Japan on Jul. 18, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and acomputer product.

2. Description of the Related Art

In using an image processing apparatus, such as a copier, fax machine,printer, and a multifunction product (MFP) having combined functions ofcopying, faxing, printing, a user has to selects a function to executefrom functions the image processing apparatus offers, and to makesetting for desired functional contents. For example, the user needs tomake setting on the condition of a document, such as the type and thedensity of the document, on various image processes, such as zoom,single-side/double-side printing, and margin size adjustment, and onpostprocessing, such as sorting, stapling, and punching.

A conventional image processing apparatus provides enormous numbers ofsetting items and a plurality of setting contents for each item to allowa user to execute a variety of setting. The user, who wants to obtain adesired result, is required to select a type of setting out of thoseenormous setting items and contents.

The user, however, has no way to know what kind of a process result toreceive according to setting contents in using the conventional imageprocessing apparatus. For example, the user has to wait for actualprint-out from the image processing apparatus to know a print result forthe user. The obtained print result often ends up in a kind of finishedproduct that the user does not expect to get.

To solve the above problem, some apparatuses and systems have beenproposed, which include a preview display apparatus (see, for example,Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-5471) that displays apreview image showing the state of a printed result, an image processingapparatus (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2002-103726) that displays a preview image showing image data printed ona paper corresponding to selected paper image data when the paper imagedata to express a paper style of a different paper quality is selected,and an image forming system (see, for example, Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 1999-234503) that displays a preview image ofdata made by synthesizing a plurality of edited and processed imagedata.

The conventional techniques offer a function of only displaying apreview of a single image, or an image synthesized from a plurality ofimages, that shows the result of image processes executed according tosetting contents.

A user checks such preview images to make setting again for correction,which allows the user to perform setting operation while checking animage for a finished condition before proceeding to a print-out process,and finally obtain desired image output.

The applicant of the present invention has proposed a color reproductionarea corrective method. This method is carried out by assessing theimage quality of an output color image on the basis of characteristicquantities extracted from an input color image and the output colorimage, determining a color reproduction area corrective method offeringa highest assessment value among a plurality of color reproduction areacorrective methods, and correcting the input color image into an outputcolor image using the determined color reproduction area correctivemethod (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1997-74494).

Such a conventional technique as disclosed in the Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2002-103726, however, offers an advantage ofmerely displaying a preview of an image resulting from an image processexecuted according to setting contents in the form of one image or aplurality of images synthesized into an image, or merely displaying apreview of an image resulting from a series of processes including animage process, a printing process, and a post-process. The conventionaltechnique, therefore, does not allow a user to check a process resultsufficiently for specific items to focus on, for example, for such imagequality adjustment items as sharpness adjustment of adjusting thesharpness of character outlines or smoothness of photographs, and coloradjustment of correcting hues. This requires the improvement of theconventional technique in carrying out easy and proper setting for animage process enabling such image quality adjustment.

According to the conventional technique disclosed in the Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 1997-74494, characteristic quantities areextracted from an input color image and an output color image to carryout proper color reproduction area correction. An output color imageresulting from color reproduction area correction, however, is justdisplayed to merely offer a final outcome, which makes it impossible fora user to check characteristic parts of the output color image highlyprecisely to assess the final outcome. This also requires theimprovement of the conventional technique in carrying out easy andproper setting for an image process enabling such check on thecharacteristic parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve theproblems in the conventional technology.

An image processing apparatus according to one aspect of the presentinvention includes an image processing unit that executes an imageprocess on a target image based on process-setting contents, andgenerates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares theprocessed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of apredetermined size showing a notable effect of the image processexecuted on the target image, as a checking area; and a checking-imagedisplay unit that displays the processed image corresponding to theextracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image forchecking the process-setting contents of the image process.

A computer program product according to another aspect of the presentinvention includes a computer usable medium having computer readableprogram codes embodied in the medium that when executed causes acomputer to execute generating a processed image by executing an imageprocess on a target image based on process-setting contents; extractinga partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of theimage process executed on the target image, as a checking area, bycomparing the processed-image with the target image; and displaying theprocessed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on adisplay unit, as a checking image for checking the process-settingcontents of the image process.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical andindustrial significance of this invention will be better understood byreading the following detailed description of presently preferredembodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the main units of an image processingapparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a model view of one example of a calculation process table;

FIG. 3 is a front view of one example of display on a display screen ofa checking display unit;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the flow of a checking area extracting processby a checking-area extracting unit;

FIG. 5 is a model view of an enlarged checking image;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of the imageprocessing apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the main units of an image processingapparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a model view of one example of an extraction reference table;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the flow of a checking area extracting processby a checking-area extracting unit;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a schematic structural example of a printsystem according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the schematic structure of a PC;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the schematic structure of a printer;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an example of the main components of thePC;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of another example of the main components ofthe PC; and

FIG. 15 is a front view of one example of a display screen produced by aprinter driver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be explained indetail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Since theembodiments to be described below are provided as the preferredembodiments according to the present invention, various limitationspreferable in terms of technical purposes are added to the embodiments.The scope of the present invention, however, is not limited to thedescription of the embodiments to follow unless the followingdescription presents any particular statement that limits the scope ofthe invention.

A first embodiment of the present invention represents a case where anMFP is used as an image processing apparatus. The MFP has combinedfunctions of copying, faxing, printing, scanning, and of distributing aninput image (read document image predetermined by a scanner function,input image predetermined by a printer or fax function, etc.).

Each of FIGS. 1 to 6 is a graphic diagram of the first embodiment of theimage processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 isa block diagram of the main components of an image processing apparatus1 to which the first embodiment of the image processing apparatusaccording to the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 1 includes aninput-image storing unit 2, a setting input unit 3, an image-qualityadjusting unit 4, a calculation-process storing unit 5, a checking-areaextracting unit 6, a checking display unit 7, and an image output unit8. The image processing apparatus 1 further includes an image input unitnot shown. The image processing apparatus 1 is applicable to a faxmachine, copier, printer, compound device, a computer, etc.

The image processing apparatus 1 executes a process at two stagesconsisting of a check process stage, at which a result of an imageprocess on an input image data (target image data) is displayed at thechecking display unit 7 and resetting for image quality adjustment ismade at the setting input unit 3, and an output process stage, at whichan image is finally printed out on a paper, etc. at the image outputunit 8 on the basis of the image data having been subjected to an imageprocess according to the completed setting for image quality adjustment.

The input-image storing unit 2 is made up of a hard disk, RAM (RandomAccess Memory), etc. The input-image storing unit 2 temporarily storessuch input image data (target image data) from the image input unit of ascanner unit, communication unit, etc., as manuscript image data read bythe scanner unit or image data obtained from a communication line viathe communication unit.

The setting input unit 3 includes, for example, a touch panel, which isdisposed on the checking display unit 7 (display unit) made of a crystaldisplay, etc., and various operating keys. The setting input unit 3serves as a user interface of the image processing apparatus 1. Thesetting input unit 3 detects an image quality adjustment item selectedby a user, and delivers the selected item to the image-quality adjustingunit 4. After display of a checking area on the checking display unit 7,which will be described later, is over, the setting input unit 3receives a set value selected from a plurality of set values preparedfor each selected image adjustment item, and delivers the selected setvalue to the image-quality adjusting unit 4.

The calculation-process storing unit 5 stores image quality adjustmentitems (process items), which are specified by user's operation on thesetting input unit 3, calculation parameters corresponding to imagequality adjustment items, a plurality of set values (process set value)prepared for each image quality adjustment item, and calculationquantities corresponding to the set values. The calculation quantitiesconsist of a check calculation amount for an image quality adjusting setvalue for displaying image data on the checking display unit 7, and anoutput calculation amount for an image-quality adjusting set value foroutputting an image from the image output unit 8. The image-qualityadjusting unit 4 uses the check and output calculation quantities storedin the calculation-process storing unit 5 to carry out image qualityadjustment on checking image data and on output image data. This processcorrects a difference in image appearance between display on thechecking display unit 7 and output on the image output unit 8.

The calculation-process storing unit 5, for example, stores acalculation parameter, set values, and check/output calculationquantities for each image quality adjustment item as the contents of acalculation process table, as shown in FIG. 2.

In the table, for example, “high-frequency element” is recorded as acalculation parameter for an image quality adjustment item of“sharpness”, and “clear” and “smooth” are recorded as set values for thecalculation parameter “high-frequency element”. A check calculationamount of +30% is recorded for the set value “clear”, and the same of−30% is recorded for the set value “smooth”. An output calculationamount of +20% is recorded for the set value “clear”, and the same of−20% is recorded for the set value “smooth”.

Meanwhile, “yellow element” is recorded as a calculation parameter foran image quality adjustment item of “color adjustment (yellow)”, and“strong” and “weak” are recorded as set values for the calculationparameter “yellow element”. A check calculation amount of +20% isrecorded for the set value “strong”, and the same of −20% is recordedfor the set value “weak”. An output calculation amount of +10% isrecorded for the set value “strong”, and the same of −10% is recordedfor the set value “weak”.

The image-quality adjusting unit (image processing unit) 4 carries outimage quality adjustment on an image of input image data in theinput-image storing unit 2 according to setting made at the settinginput unit 3. At the check process stage, as described later, theimage-quality adjusting unit 4 obtains a calculation parameter from thecalculation-process storing unit 5 on the basis of an image qualityadjustment item receiving from the setting input unit 3, and searchesthe calculation-process storing unit 5 to obtain a check calculationamount on the basis of a set value for the calculation parameter that isselected at the setting input unit 3. The image-quality adjusting unit 4then executes a calculation process on the input image data, using theobtained check calculation amount, to make a checking image, and putsout the checking image to the checking-area extracting unit 6, and tothe checking display unit 7.

At the output process stage, the image-quality adjusting unit 4 obtainsa calculation parameter from the calculation-process storing unit 5 onthe basis of an image quality adjustment item receiving from the settinginput unit 3, and searches the calculation-process storing unit 5 toobtain an output calculation amount on the basis of a set value for thecalculation parameter that is selected at the setting input unit 3. Theimage-quality adjusting unit 4 then executes a calculation process onthe input image data, using the obtained output calculation amount, tomake a processed image as an output image, and puts out the processedimage to the image output unit 8. The image-quality adjusting unit 4 mayhold the checking image made at the check process stage, and put out thechecking image to the image output unit 8 at the point that the imageprocess has proceeded to the output process stage.

The checking-area extracting unit (area extracting unit) 6 obtains inputimage data from the input-image storing unit 2, and executes a processof comparing the input image of the input image data with a checkingimage generated by the image-quality adjusting unit 4 for each partialarea of a predetermined size and extracting a partial area showing agreater variation as a checking area. The checking-area extracting unit6 executes this process on a processed image processed according to eachset value for each image quality adjustment item and on the input imagefor each image quality adjustment item. The checking-area extractingunit 6 puts out checking area specifying information for specifying theextracted checking area to the checking display unit 7.

The checking display (display) unit 7, for example, is made up of acrystal display, etc., and has a display screen 7 a (see FIG. 3) onwhich the touch panel of the setting input unit 3 is arranged. Thechecking display unit 7 at least retrieves a portion of a processedimage in a checking area as a checking image from checking areainformation from the checking-area extracting unit 6 and the processedimage from the image-quality adjusting unit 4, and displays the checkingimage on the display screen 7 a.

FIG. 3 is a front view of one example of display on the display screen 7a of the checking display unit 7. A checking image 20 including a targetimage (processed image) 10 and function setting items (menu items) 9 aredisplayed on the display screen 7 a of the checking display unit 7. Thefunction setting items (menu items) 9 include a menu 9 a consisting ofmenu items of staple, punch, binding margin adjustment, frame delete,stamp, page number, etc., execution of which depends on a place on thetarget images (processed images) 10. The menu 9 a is displayed at theright on the display screen 7 a. The function setting items 9 alsoincludes a menu 9 b consisting of menu items of output color, outputdensity, paper, zoom, single-side/double-side, combining, sort/stack,background, etc., execution of which does not depend on image contents.The menu 9 b is displayed at the left on the screen 7 a.

The image output unit (output unit) 8 includes a printing unit, such asa printer, which prints out an image on a paper by a predeterminedprinting method of, for example, electrophotograhic method, and acommunication unit which transmits image data via a communication line.The image output unit 8 prints out an image according to predeterminedcharacteristic values on the basis of output image data from theimage-quality adjusting unit 4, and transmits image data via thecommunication line. The image output unit 8 may employ various printingmethods other than the electrophotographic method, such as ink-jetmethod, sublimation-type heat transfer method, silver salt photographicmethod, direct thermographic method, and melt-type heat transfer method.

The image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment compares aprocessed image with an input image for each partial area, the processedimage resulting by subjecting the input image (target image) to imagequality adjustment (image process) according to setting contents,extracts a characteristic partial area (an area where a result of theimage process executed on the target image is notable) as a checkingarea, and displays a portion of the processed image in the checking areaas a checking image on the checking display unit 7.

Specifically, according to the image processing apparatus 1, theinput-image storing unit 2 temporarily stores input image data inputfrom the image input unit, such as the scanner unit or communicationunit, and the contents of an image process executed on the input imagedata is set at the setting input unit 3 by giving a set value for eachimage quality adjusting item. Upon setting of the contents of imageprocess on the input image data, the image-quality adjusting unit 4determines the image quality adjusting item and set value according tothe set contents, and obtains a check calculation amount correspondingto the determined image quality adjusting item and set value from thecalculation-process storing unit 5. The image-quality adjusting unit 4then executes a calculation process on the input image data in theinput-image storing unit 2, using the check calculation amount, togenerate a processed image having undergone image quality adjustment,and puts out the processed image to the checking-area extracting unit 6and to the checking display unit 7.

The checking-area extracting unit 6 executes a process of comparing theprocessed image from the image-quality adjusting unit 4 with the inputimage in the input-image storing unit 2 for every partial area of apredetermined size (e.g. rectangular area having a predetermined area)and extracting a partial area showing a greater variation between theinput image and the processed image as a checking area. Thechecking-area extracting unit 6 executes this process on the processedimage processed according to each set value for each image qualityadjustment item and on the input image, and puts out extracted checkingarea information for each set value to the checking display unit 7.

When receiving a processed image from the image-quality adjusting unit4, therefore, the checking-area extracting unit 6 takes an input imagecorresponding to the processed image out of the input-image storing unit2, and compares each variation between the input image and the processedimage for every partial area as a checking area. This process is carriedout as the following.

The horizontal coordinate on an image is represented by x coordinatesindicating “0” at the left and a positive value at the right, and thevertical coordinate on the image is represented by y coordinatesindicating “0” at the upper side and a positive value at the lower side.A point marked with values x and y for the x and y coordinates isrepresented as (x, y), and a rectangle having diagonal apexes determinedby points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is represented as (x1, y1, x2, y2). Apartial area, which is to be finally extracted as a checking area, ispredetermined a width of w, and a length of h. This partial area isshifted from the left to right in an increment of ws, and from the upperside to the lower side in an increment of hs along an input image and aprocessed image, each of which is a check subject image, within a rangethat does not exceed the width W and the height H of the input image andthe processed image. As the partial area is shifted, a difference Dbetween a portion of the input image and a portion of the processedimage in each partial area is determined. Then the maximum value Dm ofdifference Ds and the upper left point (Lm, Tm) of a partial area givingthe maximum value Dm are stored in an internal memory.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the flow of a checking area extracting processby the checking-area extracting unit 6. At the start of the processflow, as shown in FIG. 4, the checking-area extracting unit 6 setscoordinate values (0, 0, w, h) for diagonal apexes (L, T, R, B) thatdetermine a rectangle partial area (L←0, T←0, R←w, B←h) (step S101) Thechecking-area extracting unit 6 then executes a calculation process Diffto calculate a difference D between a portion of the input image and aportion of the processed image in the partial area, and defines acalculation result Diff as the difference D (step S102).

Subsequently, the checking-area extracting unit 6 compares thedifference D resulting from the calculation at this time with themaximum value Dm stored in the internal memory to check on whether thedifference D is larger than the maximum value Dm (step S103).

When the difference D resulting from the calculation at this time islarger than the maximum value Dm (Yes at step 103), the checking-areaextracting unit 6 defines the difference D resulting from thecalculation at this time as a new maximum value Dm, and defines theupper left point coordinates (L, T) of the partial area processed thistime as the upper left point coordinates (Lm, Tm) of the partial areagiving the new maximum value Dm (Lm←L, Tm←T) (step S104).

Then, a checking area is shifted to the next partial area right to thecurrent partial area. To that end, the checking-area extracting unit 6determines the L coordinate and R coordinate of the next partial area byadding the width increment ws in the x direction of the current partialarea to the L coordinate and to the R coordinate of the current partialarea (L←L+ws, R←R+ws) (step S105).

When the difference D resulting from the calculation at this time is themaximum value Dm or smaller (No at step 103), the checking-areaextracting unit 6 proceeds to step S105, and carries out a process ofshifting the checking area from the current partial area to the nextpartial area at the right thereto (step S105).

The checking-area extracting unit 6 then checks to see if the Rcoordinate of the shifted partial area has exceeded the width W of thecheck subject image (input image and processed image) (step S106). Whenthe partial area has not shift to the edge of the width of the checksubject image and check in each partial area in the right direction isnot over (No at step S106), the checking-area extracting unit 6 returnsto step S102, and executes the same process as described above on thenext partial area to which the current partial area is shifted (stepsS102 to S106).

When the partial area has shift to the edge of the width of the checksubject image and check in each partial area in the right direction iscompleted (Yes at step S106), the checking-area extracting unit 6 shiftsthe checking area to the next partial area located at the head of thelower line next to the line where the current partial area belongs. Tothat end, the checking-area extracting unit 6 determines the Tcoordinate and B coordinate of the next partial area by adding theheight increment hs in the y direction of the current partial area tothe T coordinate and to the B coordinate of the current partial area(T←T+hs, B←B+hs) (step S107) The checking-area extracting unit 6 thenchecks to see if the coordinate B of the partial area shifted downwardexceeds the height H of the check subject image (step S108).

When the B coordinate of the partial area shifted downward has notexceeded the height H of the check subject image (No at step S108), thechecking-area extracting unit 6 returns to step S102, and calculates adifference D between a portion of the input image and a portion of theprocessed image in each partial area for the line where the partial areashifted downward belongs, checks on whether the difference D is largerthan the current maximum value Dm, and detects a partial area giving themaximum value Dm (step S102 to S106). When R coordinate>the width Wresults to complete check on each partial area for one line at stepS106, the checking-area extracting unit 6 executes the process ofshifting the partial area to the next line (T←T+hs, B←B+hs) (step S107),and then checks to see if the coordinate B of the partial area shiftedto the next line exceeds the height H of the check subject image (stepS108).

Thus, the checking-area extracting unit 6 shifts the partial area as thechecking area from the left to right in the increment Ws, and from theupper side to the lower side in the increment of the hs within the rangethat does not exceed the width W and height H of the check subjectimage. While shifting the partial area, the checking-area extractingunit 6 calculates a difference D between a portion of the input imageand a portion of the output image in each partial area, and stores themaximum value Dm of difference Ds and the upper left point (Lm, Tm) of apartial area giving the maximum value Dm.

When the B coordinate of the partial area shifted downward has exceededthe height H of the check subject image (Yes at step S108), the checkingarea extracting process of detecting a partial area showing the mostnotable difference D between the input image and the output image(characteristic partial area) as a checking area is ended.

The checking-area extracting unit 6 executes the process of extracting apartial area giving the maximum value Dm as a checking area for eachimage quality adjustment item, thus extracts a checking area for everyimage quality adjustment item.

The checking-area extracting unit 6 puts out the coordinate values (Lm,Tm) of the upper left point of the extracted checking area for eachimage quality adjustment item to the checking display unit 7, thecoordinate values being puts out as checking area information.

The checking display unit 7 extracts each portion of the processed imagein each checking area as a checking image defined by each set value fromthe checking area information for each image quality adjustment itempredetermined by the checking-area extracting unit 6 and from aprocessed image predetermined by the image-quality adjusting unit 4, theprocessed image portion in the checking area being extracted for eachset value for each image quality adjustment item. The checking displayunit 7 then displays the checking image 20 defined by each set value foreach image quality adjustment item, for example, on the display screen 7a, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a model view of the enlarged checking image 20. In FIG. 5, theoverall view of an input image 10 is displayed to occupy the left halfof the display screen 7 a, and the image quality adjustment item ofsharpness is selected to present set values of “clear” and “smooth”. Achecking area 11 a of a character portion and a checking area 11 b of animage portion are extracted from the input image 10 i and enlargedchecking-area images 10 a, 10 b for the checking areas 11 a, 11 b arearranged at the right of the input image 10, where the checking area 11a is connected to the enlarged checking-area image 10 a and the checkingarea 11 b to the checking area image 10 b via each arrow to indicatethat the enlarged checking-area images 10 a, 10 b are enlarged images ofthe checking areas 11 a, 11 b. In addition, enlarged checking-areaimages 12 a, 12 b and 13 a, 13 b are each arranged at the right to theinput image 10 as enlarged images of processed image portions in thechecking areas 11 a, 11 b, which corresponds with the enlargedchecking-area images 10 a, 10 b extracted from the input image 10 forthe set values of “clear” and “smooth” for the image quality adjustmentitem of sharpness.

In FIG. 5, predetermined two checking areas 11 a, 11 b and two setvalues, the display screen 7 a displays six enlarged checking-areaimages 10 a, 10 b, 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13 b in total. A user compares theenlarged checking-area images 10 a, 10 b, 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13 b,selects a set value that gives the user a result closest to a desiredchange, and touches either a button 14 a for “clean” or a button 14 bfor “smooth” on the touch panel of the setting input unit 3. Inresponse, the setting input unit 3 puts out the selected set value tothe image-quality adjusting unit 4.

While the enlarged checking-area images 10 a, 10 b, 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13b are listed all together in FIG. 5, this is not the only case. When adisplay space is short, a part of the enlarged checking-area images 10a, 10 b, 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13 b may be displayed in turn byautomatically switching display of the enlarged checking-area image inpredetermined time intervals, or manually switching display of the sameby user's operating a button.

According to the checking area extracting process executed by thechecking-area extracting unit 6, as described above, checking areas areextracted according to the number of image quality adjustment items.This, however, is not the only case. When the number of the imagequality adjustment items is great and checking areas corresponding innumber to the image quality adjustment items cannot be displayed on thedisplay screen 7 a of the checking display unit 7, a representativechecking area selecting process may be executed to select arepresentative checking area, and the selected representative checkingarea is displayed first on the display screen 7 a of the checkingdisplay unit 7. A method of selecting a representative checking areaincludes such a method of representing a plurality of checking areasclose to each other in coordinate position by one checking area.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment,the checking-area extracting unit 6 extracts a checking area, which is apartial area of a predetermined size showing a characteristic imageprocess result (partial area where the effect of an image-processexecuted on a target image is notable) of a processed image that ispredetermined by subjecting an input image, which is the target image,to the image process (image quality adjustment) at the image-qualityadjusting unit 4 according to process-setting contents. A portion of theprocessed image corresponding to the extracted checking area is thendisplayed as a checking image on the display screen 7 a of the checkingdisplay unit 7.

A user is, therefore, allowed to properly and clearly check a processresult from an input image based on setting contents by checking achecking image showing the process result characteristically. Based onthe checked process result, the user then makes setting on the settinginput unit 3 to be able to carry out a more proper image process.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment,the checking-area extracting unit 6 compares each variation between aninput image and a processed image in each partial area, where a portionof the input image and a portion of the processed image correspond toeach other, and extracts a partial area showing a greater variation as achecking area.

Thus, an image in the partial area showing a greater variation betweenthe input image and the processed image is presented as the checkingimage showing a process result characteristically. A user is, therefore,allowed to properly and clearly check a process result by checking sucha checking image, and makes setting on the setting input unit 3 based onthe checked process result to be able to carry out a more proper imageprocess.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment,a plurality of set values (process set values) are set for a pluralityof image quality adjusting items (process items) as process-settingcontents. Accordingly, the checking-area extracting unit 6 extracts achecking area for every image quality adjusting item executed on aninput image.

A user is, therefore, allowed to properly and clearly check a processresult by checking a checking image showing the process resultcharacteristically for every image quality adjusting item executed onthe input image. This enables the user to make setting on the settinginput unit 3 based on the checked process result to be able to carry outa more proper image process.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment,a checking image is displayed in comparison with an input image on thedisplay screen 7 a of the checking display unit 7.

This allows a user to check a process result further clearly byobserving the checking image in comparison with the input image, thusenabling the user to make setting on the setting input unit 3 based onthe checked process result to be able to carry out a more proper imageprocess.

According to the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment,a plurality of set values are set for a plurality of image qualityadjusting items as process-setting contents. The image-quality adjustingunit 4 then generates processed images according to the set values, andthe checking display unit 7 displays portions of processed imagescorresponding to checking areas from the processed images according tothe set values. The checking display unit 7 displays the processed imageportions corresponding to the checking areas as checking images eachdefined by each set value for each image quality adjusting item in astate where the checking images can be compared with each other.

This allows a user to check a process result by comparing each of theprocessed image portions resulting from a process according to aplurality of set values for each image quality adjusting item, thusenabling the user to make setting on the setting input unit 3 based onthe checked process result to be able to carry out a more proper imageprocess.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of the imageprocessing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The imageprocessing apparatus 1 is constructed as an MFP having multiplefunctions of faxing, scanning, etc. As shown in FIG. 6, the imageprocessing apparatus 1 includes a controller 1101, and an engine unit1102, which are interconnected via a peripheral component interconnect(PCI) bus. The controller 1101 controls the overall operation of theimage processing apparatus 1, and also controls graphic performance,communication, and input from an operating unit 1120. The engine unit1102 is such a printer engine connectible to the PCI bus as black/whiteplotter, 1-drum color plotter, 4-drum color plotter, scanner, or faxunit. In addition to an engine portion, such as plotter, the engine unit1102 also includes an image processing portion serving for errordiffusion or gamma conversion.

The controller 1101 has a CPU 1111, a system memory (MEM-P) 1112, anorth bridge (NB) 1113, a south bridge (SB) 1114, anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 1116, a local memory(MEM-C) 1117, and a hard disk drive (HDD) 1118. The NB 1113 is connectedto the ASIC 1116 via an accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus 1115. TheMEM-P 1112 has a ROM 1112 a, and a RAM 1112 b.

The CPU 1111 executes general control over the image processingapparatus 1, and has a chip set composed of the NB 1113, the MEM-P 1112,and the SB 1114. The CPU 1111 is connected to other units via the chipset.

The NB 1113 is a bridge that connects the CPU 1111 to the MEM-P 1112, tothe SB 1114, and to the AGP bus 1115. The NB 1113 has a memorycontroller controlling reading/writing on the MEM-P 1112, a PCI master,and an AGP target.

The MEM-P 1112 is a system memory used for storing programs and data,for developing programs and data, for graphic operation by a printer,etc. The MEM-P 1112 consists of the ROM 1112 a, and the RAM 1112 b. TheROM 1112 a is a read-only memory used for storing programs and data thatcontrols the operation of the CPU 1111. The RAM 1112 b is areadable/writable memory used for developing programs and data, forgraphic operation by a printer, etc.

The SB 1114 is a bridge that connects the NB 1113 to PCI devices andperipheral devices. The SB 1114 is connected to the NB 1113 via the PCIbus, to which a network interface (I/F) unit is connected.

The ASIC 1116 is an integrated circuit (IC) for use in image processing,and has a hardware element for image processing. The ASIC 1116 plays arole as a bridge that interconnects the AGP bus 1115, the PCI bus, theHDD 1118, and the MEM-C 1117. The ASIC 1116 includes a PCI target, anAGP master, an arbiter (ARB) constituting the kernel of the ASIC 1116, amemory controller that controls the MEM-C 1117, a plurality of directmemory access controllers (DMACs) that rotate image data using ahardware logic, and a PCI unit that executes data transfer between thePCI unit and the engine unit 1102 via the PCI bus. The ASIC 1116 isconnected to a fax control unit (FCU) 1121, to a universal serial bus(USB) 1122, and to an IEEE 1394 (the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers 1394) I/F 1123 via the PCI bus.

The MEM-C 1117 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying andas a code buffer. The HDD 1118 is a storage that accumulates image data,programs controlling the operation of the CPU 1111, font data, andforms.

The AGP bus 1115 is a bus I/F for a graphic accelerator card that isproposed to speed up graphic processes. The AGP bus 1115 provides directaccess to the MEM-P 1112 at high throughput to allow high-speedperformance of the graphic accelerator card.

The operating unit 1120 connected to the ASIC 1116 receives operationalinput from an operator, and sends information of the receivedoperational input to the ASIC 1116.

An image displaying program and an image forming program executed by theimage processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment are preinstalledin the ROM, etc., and are provided for execution.

The image displaying program and image forming program executed by theimage processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment may be recordedon a computer-readable recording medium, such as a CR-ROM, a flexibledisk (FD), a CD-R, or a digital versatile disk (DVD), as a file in aninstallable format or an executable format, and be provided forexecution.

The image displaying program and image forming program executed by theimage processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment may be stored ina computer connected to a network, such the Internet, and be downloadedvia the network for execution. The image displaying program and imageforming program executed by the image processing apparatus 1 of thepresent invention may be provided or distributed via a network, such asthe Internet.

The image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is of amodule structure that includes each unit described above (input-imagestoring unit 2, setting input unit 3, image-quality adjusting unit 4,calculation-process storing unit 5, checking-area extracting unit 6,checking display unit 7, and image output unit 8). As the CPU(processor) reads the image displaying program and image forming programout of the ROM and executes the programs, each unit is loaded into themain memory to generate the input-image storing unit 2, the settinginput unit 3, the image-quality adjusting unit 4, thecalculation-process storing unit 5, the checking-area extracting unit 6,the checking display unit 7, and the image output unit 8 in the mainmemory.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the main units of an image processingapparatus provided as a second embodiment of the user interface unit andthe image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

The present embodiment relates to an image processing apparatus same asthe image processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. Thedescription of the present embodiment will be made by using the samereference numerals used for the description of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, an image processing apparatus 30 according to thepresent embodiment has the same components as the image processingapparatus 1 of the first embodiment, which includes the input-imagestoring unit 2, the setting input unit 3, the image-quality adjustingunit 4, the calculation-process storing unit 5, the checking-areaextracting unit 6, the checking display unit 7, the image output unit 8,and the image input unit not shown. The image processing apparatus 30further includes a checking-area extracting unit 31 and anextraction-reference storing unit 32.

According to the image processing apparatus 30, the setting input unit 3detects an image quality adjustment item selected by a user, anddelivers the selected item to the image-quality adjusting unit 4 and tothe checking-area extracting unit 31. After display of a checking areaon the checking display unit 7 is over, the setting input unit 3receives a set value selected from a plurality of set values preparedfor each selected image adjustment item, and delivers the selected setvalue to the image-quality adjusting unit 4 and to the checking-areaextracting unit 31.

The extraction-reference storing unit 32 stores an extraction referencetable that relates image quality adjustment items in correspondence tochecking area extraction references. In the extraction reference table,for example, a plurality of extraction references are set for each of aplurality of image quality adjusting items, such as “sharpness” and“color adjustment (yellow)”, as shown in FIG. 8. For example, for animage quality adjusting item of “sharpness”“high-frequency element” isset as an extraction reference 1 and “low-frequency element” is set asan extraction reference 2.

The checking-area extracting unit (area extracting unit) 31 searches theextraction reference table of the extraction-reference storing unit 32for an extraction reference corresponding to a set image qualityadjusting item for each image quality adjusting item set at the settinginput unit 3. The checking-area extracting unit 31 calculates a featureamount in terms of the searched out extraction reference for eachpartial area of an input image data. Then, the checking-area extractingunit (area extracting unit) 31 executes a process of extracting apartial area showing a feature amount calculation result greater thanthat of other partial areas as a checking area that shows imageadjustment result characteristically. The checking-area extracting unit31 executes this process for each image quality adjusting item, and putsout checking area information for specifying the extracted checking areato the checking display unit 7.

The effect obtained by the present embodiment is described. According tothe image processing apparatus 30 of the present invention, the featureamount of each partial area of an input image (target image) iscalculated for each image quality adjusting item on the basis of anextraction reference preset for each image quality adjusting item, and apartial area showing the largest feature amount is extracted as achecking area. A portion of a processed image in the checking area isdisplayed as a checking image on the checking display unit 7.

Specifically, according to the image processing apparatus 30, theinput-image storing unit 2 temporarily stores input image data inputfrom the image input unit, such as the scanner unit or communicationunit, and the contents of an image process on the input image data isset at the setting input unit 3 by giving a set value for each imagequality adjusting item. Upon setting of the contents of image process onthe input image data, the image-quality adjusting unit 4 determines theimage quality adjusting item and set value according to the setcontents, and obtains a check calculation amount corresponding to thedetermined image quality adjusting item and set value from thecalculation-process storing unit 5. The image-quality adjusting unit 4then executes a calculation process on the input image data in theinput-image storing unit 2, using the check calculation amount, togenerate a processed image having undergone image quality adjustment,and puts out the processed image to the checking-area extracting unit 6and to the checking display unit 7.

Meanwhile, the checking-area extracting unit 31 searches the extractionreference table of the extraction-reference storing unit 32 for anextraction reference corresponding to a set image quality adjusting itemfor each image quality adjusting item set at the setting input unit 3.The checking-area extracting unit 31 calculates a feature amount interms of the searched out extraction reference for each partial area ofan input image data. Then, the checking-area extracting unit 31 executesa process of extracting a partial area showing a feature amountcalculation result greater than that of other partial areas as achecking area that shows image adjustment result characteristically. Thechecking-area extracting unit 31 executes this process for each imagequality adjusting item, and puts out checking area information forspecifying the extracted checking area to the checking display unit 7.

The checking-area extracting unit 31 thus searches the extractionreference table of the extraction-reference storing unit 32 for anextraction reference for an image quality adjusting item set at thesetting input unit 3, and then calculates the feature amount of an inputimage for each partial area, which is a checking area. This process iscarried out as the following.

In the same manner as the first embodiment, the horizontal coordinate onan image is represented by x coordinates indicating “0” at the left anda positive value at the right, and the vertical coordinate on the imageis represented by y coordinates indicating “0” at the upper side and apositive value at the lower side. A point marked with values x and y forthe x and y coordinates is represented as (x, y), and a rectangle havingdiagonal apexes determined by points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) isrepresented as (x1, y1, x2, y2). A partial area, which is to be finallyextracted as a checking area, is predetermined a width of w, and alength of h. This partial area is shifted from the left to right in anincrement of ws, and from the upper side to the lower side in anincrement of hs along an input image, which is a check subject image,within a range that does not exceed the width W and the height H of theinput image. As the partial area is shifted, the feature amount C of aninput image portion in each shifted partial area is determined. Then themaximum value Cm of characteristic quantities Cs and the upper leftpoint (Lm, Tm) of a partial area giving the maximum value Cm are storedin an internal memory.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the flow of a checking area extracting processby the checking-area extracting unit 31. At the start of the processflow, as shown in FIG. 9, the checking-area extracting unit 31 setscoordinate values (0, 0, w, h) for diagonal apexes (L, T, R, B) thatdetermine a rectangle partial area (L←0, T←0, R←w, B←h) (step S201) Thechecking-area extracting unit 6 then executes a calculation process Charto calculate the extraction-reference-based feature amount of an inputimage for the partial area, and defines a extraction-reference-basedfeature amount calculation result Char (x1, y1, x2, y2) as a featureamount C (step S202).

In the reference-based feature amount calculation process Char (x1, y1,x2, y2) (hereinafter “calculation process Char”), for example, when theimage quality adjusting item “sharpness” is predetermined, an extractionreference of “high-frequency” is extracted from the extraction referencetable shown in FIG. 8, which is stored in the extraction-referencestoring unit 32, and “high-frequency” is taken to be a feature amount tobe calculated. Thus, the checking-area extracting unit 31 executes thecalculation process Char of integrating output from a high-pass filter.

The checking-area extracting unit 31 compares a feature amount Cresulting from the calculation at this time with a maximum value Cmstored in the internal memory to check on whether the feature amount Cis larger than the maximum value Cm (step S203).

When the feature amount C resulting from the calculation at this time islarger than the maximum value Cm (Yes at step 203), the checking-areaextracting unit 31 defines the feature amount C resulting from thecalculation at this time as a new maximum value Cm, and defines theupper left point coordinates (L, T) of the partial area processed thistime as the upper left point coordinates (Lm, Tm) of the partial areagiving the new maximum value Cm (Lm←L, Tm←T) (step S204) Then, achecking area is shifted to the next partial area right to the currentpartial area. To that end, the checking-area extracting unit 31determines the L coordinate and R coordinate of the next partial area byadding the width increment ws in the x direction of the current partialarea to the L coordinate and to the R coordinate of the current partialarea (L←L+ws, R←R+ws) (step S205).

When the feature amount C resulting from the calculation at this time isthe maximum value Cm or smaller (No at step 203), the checking-areaextracting unit 31 proceeds to step S205, and carries out a process ofshifting the checking area from the current partial area to the nextpartial area at the right thereto (step S205).

The checking-area extracting unit 31 then checks to see if the Rcoordinate of the shifted partial area has exceeded the width W of theinput image as the check subject image (step S206). When the partialarea has not shift to the edge of the width of the check subject imageand check in each partial area in the right direction is not over (No atstep S206), the checking-area extracting unit 31 returns to step S202,and executes the same process as described above on the next partialarea to which the current partial area is shifted (steps S202 to S206).

When the partial area has shift to the edge of the width of the checksubject image and check in each partial area in the right direction iscompleted (Yes at step S206), the checking-area extracting unit 31shifts the checking area to the next partial area located at the head ofthe lower line next to the line where the current partial area belongs.To that end, the checking-area extracting unit 31 determines the Tcoordinate and B coordinate of the next partial area by adding theheight increment hs in the y direction of the current partial area tothe T coordinate and to the B coordinate of the current partial area(T←T+hs, B←B+hs) (step S207). The checking-area extracting unit 31 thenchecks to see if the coordinate B of the partial area shifted downwardexceeds the height H of the check subject input image (step S208).

When the B coordinate of the partial area shifted downward has notexceeded the height H of the check subject input image (No at stepS208), the checking-area extracting unit 31 returns to step S202, andcalculates the feature amount C of an input image portion in eachpartial area for the line where the partial area shifted downwardbelongs, checks on whether the feature amount C is larger than thecurrent maximum value Cm, and detects a partial area giving the maximumvalue Cm (step S202 to S206). When the R coordinate>the width W resultsto complete check on each partial area for one line at step S206, thechecking-area extracting unit 31 executes the process of shifting thepartial area to the next line (T←T+hs, B←B+hs) (step S207), and thenchecks to see if the coordinate B of the partial area shifted to thenext line exceeds the height H of the check subject input image (stepS208).

Thus, the checking-area extracting unit 31 shifts the partial area,which is the checking area, from the left to right in the increment Ws,and from the upper side to the lower side in the increment of the hswithin the range that does not exceed the width W and height H of thecheck subject image. While shifting the partial area, the checking-areaextracting unit 31 calculates the feature amount C of an input imageportion in each partial area, and stores the maximum value Cm of featureamount Cs and the upper left point (Lm, Tm) of a partial area giving themaximum value Cm.

When the B coordinate of the partial area shifted downward has exceededthe height H of the check subject input image (Yes at step S208), thechecking-area extracting unit 31 ends the checking area extractingprocess of detecting a partial area showing the most notable featureamount C of the input image (characteristic partial area) as a checkingarea.

The checking-area extracting unit 31 executes the process of extractinga partial area giving the maximum value Cm as a checking area for everyimage quality adjustment item, thus extracts a checking area for everyimage quality adjustment item.

The checking-area extracting unit 31 puts out the coordinate values (Lm,Tm) of the upper left point of the extracted checking area for everyimage quality adjustment item to the checking display unit 7, thecoordinate values being puts out as checking area information.

The checking display unit 7 extracts a portion of a processed image ineach checking area as a checking image defined by each set value fromthe checking area information for each image quality adjustment itempredetermined by the checking-area extracting unit 31 and from aprocessed image predetermined by the image-quality adjusting unit 4, theprocessed image portion in the checking area being extracted for eachset value for each image quality adjustment item. The checking displayunit 7 then displays the checking image defined by each set value foreach image quality adjustment item, for example, on the display screen 7a, as shown in FIG. 3.

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus 30, aplurality of set values are set for a plurality of image qualityadjusting items as process-setting contents, and the image qualityadjusting items are related in correspondence to extraction referencesfor a checking area, and the related image quality adjusting items andextraction references are stored in the form of the extraction referencetable in the extraction-reference storing unit 32. The checking-areaextracting unit 31 retrieves an extraction reference corresponding to animage quality adjusting item executed on an input image from theextraction-reference storing unit 32, calculates a feature amount interms of the extracted extraction reference for each partial area of theinput image, and extracts a partial area showing a larger feature amountas a calculation result.

Thus, a partial area showing an image process result characteristically(partial area where the effect of an image process executed on a targetimage is notable) can be extracted easily and quickly as a checkingarea. This improves process speed, and allows a user to properly andclearly check a process result by checking the checking image showingthe process result characteristically. Based on the checked processresult, the user makes setting on the setting input unit 3 to be able tocarry out a more proper image process.

According to the first and second embodiments, the image processingapparatus of the present invention (image processing apparatus 1) isprovided in the form of an MFP, but the form of the image processingapparatus in a practical application is not limited to such a compoundmachine. Various effects equal to the effects described above can beobtained by, for example, connecting an image forming device, such asprinter, to a personal computer (PC), and installing a predeterminedprogram in a memory unit, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), of the PC,then causing the CPU of the PC to operate according to the installedprogram.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a schematic structural example of a printsystem 100 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.The print system 100 shown in FIG. 10 includes a PC 101 that sends out aprint job including print data and print conditions for printing out theprint data, a printer 102 that prints the print data, and a cable 103that connects the PC 101 to the printer 102.

The PC 101 sends print data corresponding to a prepared document andprint condition data set for printing of the document (paper direction,double-side, combining, bookbinding, stapling, punching, zoom, etc.),both data being sent as a print job, to the printer 102.

The printer 102 prints out the print data according to the print jobsent from the PC 101. Specifically, the printer 102 prints out the printdata included in the print job on a medium, such as paper, according tothe print condition data included in the print job (paper direction,double-side, combining, bookbinding, stapling, punching, zoom, etc.).

The specific constitution of the PC 101 and of the printer 102 will nowbe described in order.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the schematic structure of the PC 101. Asshown in FIG. 11, the PC 101 includes an input unit 111 for data input,a communication unit 113 for data communication, a CPU 114 that executescontrol over the entire part of the PC 101, a RAM 115 that is used as awork area for the CPU 114, a recording-medium access unit 116 thatwrites and reads data in and out of a recording medium 117, and therecording medium 117 that stores various programs for operating the CPU114.

The input unit 111 includes a keyboard having a cursor key, numericalinput keys, various functional keys, etc., and a mouse or slice pad forselecting a key on the display screen of a display unit 112. The inputunit 111 is a user interface for a user to give the CPU 114 anoperational command or input data.

The display unit 112 consists of a CRT or LCD, and makes displayaccording to display data input from the CPU 114. The communication unit113 handles data communication with external equipment, and executesdata communication, for example, with the printer 102, etc. via thecable 103.

The CPU 114 is a central control unit that controls the entire part ofthe PC 101 according to programs stored in the recording medium 117. TheCPU 114 is connected to the input unit 111, to the display unit 112, tothe communication unit 113, to the RAM 115, and to the recording-mediumaccess unit 116. The CPU 114 controls data communication, readout of anapplication program through access to a memory or reading/writing ofvarious data, data/command input, display, etc. The CPU 114 sends printdata and print condition data for the print data, which are input fromthe input unit 111, to the printer 102 as a print job via thecommunication unit 113.

The RAM 115 has a work memory that stores a specified program, an inputinstruction, input data, a process result, etc, and a display memorythat temporarily stores display data to be put out on the display screenof the display unit 112.

The recording medium 117 stores various programs and data including anOS program 117 a(e.g. WINDOWS (registered trademark), etc.) that can beexecuted by the CPU 114, a document-creation application program 117 b,and a printer driver 117 c operable on the printer 102. The recordingmedium 117 includes, for example, optical, magnetic, or electricrecording medium, such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, aDVD-ROM, a magneto-optical (MO) disk, and a PC card. The variousprograms are put in a data format readable to the CPU 114, and arestored in the recording medium 117. The programs are recorded beforehandon the recording medium in some cases, or are downloaded via acommunication line and are stored in the recording medium in othercases. The programs can be distributed via the communication line.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the schematic structure of the printer102. As shown in FIG. 12, the printer 102 includes a communication unit121 that executes data communication, a CPU 122 that executes controlover the whole of the printer 102, a ROM 123 that stores various controlprograms for running the CPU 122, a RAM 124 that temporarily storesprint data and print condition data included in a print job, which isinput from a work area for the various control programs, from the PC101, etc., a printer engine 125 that prints the print data on a transferpaper, a stapling unit 126 that staples papers bearing printed printdata, and a punching unit 127 that punches a hole on the transfer paperbearing the printed print data. The printer 102 has a double-sidefunction, a punching function, a stapling function, etc.

The communication unit 121 handles data communication with externalequipment, and, for example, communicates with the PC 101 through dataexchange.

The CPU 122 is a central control unit that controls the entire part ofthe printer 102 according to the various control programs stored in theROM 123. The CPU 122 is connected to the communication unit 121, to theROM 123, to the RAM 124, to the printer engine 125, to the stapling unit126, and to the punching unit 127. The CPU 122 controls datacommunication, printer operation, etc.

The ROM 123 stores the various control programs for running the CPU 122,parameters used for processes by the control programs, etc. The RAM 124has a work memory that stores a specified control program, a processresult, received print data, etc.

The printer engine 125 is a printer engine run by an electrophotographicmethod, which is a unit that prints print data on a transfer paper. Theprinter 102 may be run by various printing methods other than theelectrophotographic method, such as ink-jet method, sublimation-typeheat transfer method, silver salt photographic method, directthermographic method, and melt-type heat transfer method.

The printer driver 117 c of the PC 101 will then be described. Theprinter driver 117 c is a software program that is so designed that aprogram can be run relative to a specific program on the printer 102without being troubled with the hardware and/or internal language of theprinter 102. The printer driver 117 c controls the printer 102, andexecutes output data processing, etc.

Pursuant to the printer driver 117 c, the CPU 114 of the PC 101 executessuch operations as generation and display of an expected finished imageon the basis of print data and print condition data for the print data,both data being input from the input unit 111, and transfer of printdata made by the document-creation application program 117 b to theprinter 102.

As the CPU 114 operates in pursuant to the printer driver 117 c, the PC101 comes to have the same components as the image processing apparatus1 has, which includes the input-image storing unit 2, the image-qualityadjusting unit 4, the calculation-process storing unit 5, thechecking-area extracting unit 6, the checking display unit 7, and theimage output unit 8, as shown in FIG. 13. The PC 101 causes the inputunit 111 to serve as the setting input unit 3.

As the CPU 114 operates in pursuant to the printer driver 117 c inanother embodiment, the PC 101 also comes to have the same components asthe image processing apparatus 1 has, which includes the input-imagestoring unit 2, the image-quality adjusting unit 4, thecalculation-process storing unit 5, the checking-area extracting unit31, the extraction-reference storing unit 32, the checking display unit7, and the image output unit 8, as show in FIG. 14. The PC 101 causesthe input unit 111 to serve as the setting input unit 3.

The PC 101, therefore, comes to have the same system configuration asthat of the image processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 to offer thesame various effects as explained in the first and the secondembodiments when the CPU 114 operates in pursuant to the printer driver117 c.

FIG. 15 is a front view of one example of a display screen produced bythe printer driver 117 c. The screen shown in FIG. 15 is a screen thatis displayed when the start of the printer driver 117 c is selected on adisplay screen of the document-creation application program 117 b, thestart screen of the OS program 117 a, etc. The screen shown in FIG. 15allows a selection of a preview setting screen 7 b (equivalent to thedisplay screen 7 a of the checking display unit 7 of the imageprocessing apparatus 1 (image processing apparatus 30)) forgenerating/displaying an expected finished image based on print data andprint condition data for the print data, both data being sent from theinput unit 111, in addition to a selection of a basic condition settingscreen, an editing condition setting screen, a finishing conditionsetting screen, etc.

According to the present embodiment, operation of the CPU 114 of the PC101 in pursuant to the printer driver 117 c results in display of thepreview setting screen 7 b for generating/displaying an expectedfinished image based on print data and print condition data for theprint data, both data being sent from the input unit 111. The way ofdisplaying the preview setting screen 7 b, however, is not limited tothe above case. The preview setting screen 7 b may be displayed byoperating the CPU 114 of the PC 101 in pursuant to the document-creationapplication program 117 b or the OS program 117 a.

While the present invention provided by the inventor has been describedin detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, the abovedescription is not intended to limit the present invention. Variousmodifications of the embodiments will be possible as far as themodifications fall within the true scope of the invention.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a specificembodiment for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein setforth.

1. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area; and a checking-image display unit that displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process, wherein: a plurality of process set values are set for each of various process items related to the process-setting contents, and the area extracting unit extracts the checking area for each of the process items executed on the target image.
 2. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area; a checking-image display unit that displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process; and an extraction-reference storing unit that stores various process items related to the process-setting contents and extraction references for the checking area in a corresponding manner, wherein the area extracting unit retrieves an extraction reference for the checking area corresponding to a process item executed on the target image from the extraction-reference storing unit, calculates a feature amount of the extraction reference retrieved for each of the partial areas of the target image, and extracts a partial area having a feature amount greater than that of other partial areas, as the checking area.
 3. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area; and a checking-image display unit that displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process, wherein: the checking-image display unit displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area, from among processed images generated based on a plurality of process set values for each of various process items related to the process-setting contents, in a state of being comparable as the checking images for checking each of the process values for each of the process items.
 4. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area; a checking-image display unit that displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process; and an output unit that outputs the processed image as an output image, wherein the image processing unit generates the checking image and the processed image by executing an image process based on characteristics of the display unit and the output unit.
 5. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes an image process on a target image based on process-setting contents, and generates a processed image; an area extracting unit that compares the processed image with the target image, and extracts a partial area of a predetermined size showing a notable effect of the image process executed on the target image, as a checking area and a checking-image display unit that displays the processed image corresponding to the extracted checking area on a display unit, as a checking image for checking the process-setting contents of the image process, wherein: the area extracting unit extracts a plurality of checking areas, and the checking-image display unit displays a plurality of checking images corresponding to the checking areas on the display unit simultaneously or sequentially. 